The Two D’s:  Daughter & Dyslexia

Camila’s reading scores and her grades were below average. During my meeting with her teacher, I expressed the concern of my daughter having a learning disability. “I think my daughter has dyslexia,” I told her teacher.

The teacher was resistant and to this date, I still remember her remark, “Oh don’t worry. She will get her P’s and Q’s and D’s and B’s. It’s just a matter of time.” By the end of the school year, I was called into a meeting where the teacher expressed her concern. “Maybe she does have dyslexia.”

By this time, my daughter was not sleeping, seemed depressed, and was struggling with her self-esteem. In class, she was excluded from sitting with her peers. I left that meeting feeling like I had failed my girl, my daughter. I would no longer wait for others to help her. I could not and would no longer wait, I had to act.

During that summer, Camila and I spent time in the library reading and learning about dyslexia. Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Swaywitz was very helpful. My husband and I found a family counselor to talk to our daughter. And in time, she was smiling and understanding that she would be okay. We later found out through therapy that my husband also had dyslexia but that’s a whole other story.

We did a lot of research and found resources that could help our daughter and her dad. Changes were made at home. When her diagnosis came in during her first months of fourth grade, we were ready. She was more than ready. We were ahead of the game.

My daughter had embraced her learning disability and was prepared to learn a whole different way. She began to grow in every way possible. By the end of fourth grade, she was earning Honor Roll certificates, terrific kid awards, and most improved student. She was commended for placing high in her reading and math state exams.

Her stress level decreased, and she was enjoying life. She is now a junior in high school. She’s in the top 20% in her class with little to no accommodations needed. Once a team was willing to assist our daughter’s educational needs, she was able to grow and continues to shine. But it all began at home. As parents, we are her number one support.

Learn more about Dyslexia using this search. Also, Understood.org and this Dyslexia Facebook group are great resources.